"Was contacted by Stoneacre after making booking and told about a Multipoint check for £14.99 which included a free litre of oil to take away. From arriving to leaving the service was excellent and even shown around points of concern whilst vehicle on ramp. The garage did not have the free litre of oil suitable for my vehicle available and therefore did not charge me a penny for the inspection. A good print out showing what was inspected etc and areas of concern along with quotes was given too. Well done Stoneacre Goole. First class customer care even for something they did not receive any payment for. 10/10"

"First time i have used Fitch autos,great communication with very polite staff ,kept well informed of when car would be collected and returned to me,very happy with quality of service will use this garage for all my service needs from now on,would highly recommend. "

What is wheel balancing?

Wheels and tyres, as with any rotating object, need to be balanced in order to reduce vibration. A good example of this is when laundry is loaded into a washing machine unevenly, the drum is not correctly balanced, so vibrates. Similarly, wheel balancing ensures that the weight of the wheel and tyre is even around the axle.

Why is wheel balancing important?

You should always have your wheels balanced whenever you have new tyres fitted. Car tyres which are fitted on wheels that have not been properly balanced will wear very quickly and unevenly. This is due to the inconsistent points of friction between the tyre and the road, creating an effect like rubbing sandpaper on the tyre aggressively. Losing grip this way could be very dangerous and the vibration also makes the car’s ride very uncomfortable, possibly to a point of distraction that might lead to an accident.

How are wheels balanced?

Wheels are typically removed from a car before their balance is checked. They are placed in a specially-designed machine and spun to measure the vibration. Small offsetting weights are placed at points on the rim of the wheel based on results from the balancing machine. This is repeated until the machine reports that the wheel is balanced.

What causes wheel balancing problems?

If your car’s tyres have been replaced and not balanced.

If the height of your car has been altered without rebalancing the wheels.

What are the signs that a car needs wheel balancing?

How long does wheel balancing take?

Depending on the type of vehicle, wheel balancing takes between 30-60 minutes.

How much does wheel balancing cost?

Depending on the type of vehicle, wheel balancing costs between £5-10 per wheel, although most garages include this in the price of the tyre if you bought it from them.

About Proton

Proton is a Malaysian car manufacturer which set up shop in 1983 on the orders of the then Malaysian Prime Minister, whose aim was for the country to build its own national car. Today Proton exports to more than 50 countries worldwide including the UK, where it has been selling vehicles since 2009.

One of the most popular Proton models currently sold in the UK is the Gen-2, a family saloon which also comes in an ‘Ecologic’ dual-fuel variant. This gives you the option to run the car on LPG, which will save you money on fuel costs. The other main current models on offer are the Savvy, an inexpensive compact city car, and the Satria Neo, a 3 door supermini.

Proton’s partnership with Lotus engineering has led to improved steering and cornering; the Gen-2 in particular gains plaudits from drivers for its comfortable ride. However, in general Proton drivers frequently report noisy engines, as well as bemoaning the interior’s rather cheap look and feel.

What do you need from your garage?

You may live within walking distance of a garage which offers most of the services you need. However, by sticking
with the nearest garage in Dereham you could be missing out on a better deal. What if a garage with a collection / drop
off service or courtesy car could do the same job at a good price, without the inconvenience of losing your car for the
duration of the repair? BookMyGarage allows you to search for local garages which offer this facility, and compare their
prices, all in one session.